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Proponents of cannabis policy reform argue that decriminalization enhances productivity and resource allocation for police departments. This study explores the effect of the 2018 Farm Bill, a form of cannabis decriminalization, on one measure of police productivity: cannabis case processing times. Using monthly data from the Dallas Police Department’s Record Management System, spanning the years 2014–2021, we estimated single group interrupted time series models designed to gauge whether the Farm Bill’s enactment altered cannabis case processing times in both the short run and over time. Results indicate that processing times for cannabis cases increased following the Farm Bill’s enactment, which is directly counter to the argument that decriminalization improves police productivity. This study has implications for law enforcement practices, filling a gap in the research on how decriminalization can affect police practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies examining the cannabis-alcohol substitution effect have found that medical cannabis policies may result in substituting the use of cannabis in place of alcohol use. Objectives: This study adds to the literature on cannabis-alcohol substitution by analyzing the effect of decriminalization, medicinal cannabis, and adult-use legalization cannabis policies (2002-2019) on cannabis and alcohol use and substance substitution for all 50 states and the District of Columbia (N=867). Results: Results support the notion that liberalized cannabis policies can increase the prevalence of cannabis use. An adult-use legalization specific analysis yielded findings suggesting a complex and heterogenous effect of such laws on cannabis-alcohol complementation. Conclusion: Given the lack of clarity and heterogenous effects of cannabis laws, policy makers should carefully take into consideration the benefits of medical cannabis laws, along with the risks of decriminalization and adult-use legalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with mental illness are at a higher risk of experiencing intimate partner violent victimization. Some have suggested that this pattern reflects their greater tendency to be involved in conflicted relationships. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, results suggest that symptoms of depression are negatively associated with the relationship satisfaction of both partners and positively associated with IPV victimization. The relationship between depressive symptomatology and IPV victimization becomes nonsignificant when incorporating a proxy for conflicted relationships. ADHD symptoms, however, are not associated with conflicted relationships or IPV victimization. Implications for theory and policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]